Charlie and his first Hogsmeade trip
by vaiolet90
Summary: During a visit to Shell Cottage several years after the war, Charlie remembers his first trip to Hogsmeade with his brother Bill. Bill/Fleur and others characters involved. Read it for more.


Author Notes: Hi everyone. This is my tenth story in English. The story explores the character of Charlie, but also speaks about Bill/Fleur. Inside it, there's also others characters invented by me and a little of Tonks. Warning: This is not a Charlie/Tonks FF. They're just good friends.

If you like the couple Bill/Fleur, I write a little about them in my stories The definitive forgiveness and Bridesmaid or Witness.

* * *

 **Charlie and his first Hogsmeade trip**

"So Vick, are you excited for your third year at Hogwarts?" Uncle Charlie asked his niece one morning while he was at Shell Cottage.

"Yes and this year I can finally go to Hogsmeade."

"Yes, I remember I was very thrilled about that too."

"Really? What did you do on your first trip to the village?" Victoire asked inquisitively. Bill, who was on the other side of the table, choked on a piece of bread and turned the same shade as his hair. An amused grin spread across Charlie's face.

"Bill, darling, are you all right?" Fleur asked worriedly, thumping her husband on the back.

"Vicky, it's been such a long time, I doubt your Uncle would remember that day," Bill said immediately, ignoring his wife.

"It's true; it seems like a century as gone by since then," Charlie agreed with his brother. "But if I think hard about it..."

"Also, I don't believe that the story of your uncle's first visit to Hogsmeade is that interesting. Isn't that right Charlie?" Insisted Bill, casting a murderous look at his brother.

* * *

Many years earlier

"Hey Charlie, do you remember the third rule of the Weasley Brother-Sisterhood Code?" Bill asked, sitting next to him in the Great Hall for breakfast. The Code of the Weasley Brotherhood was a book invented by the two older brothers, with some small contributions from the twins, which comprises a set of rules and standards that every member of the Weasley family - well, every member who was aware of the book - was obliged to observe and respect. The name of the Code had been modified with the arrival of the last born in the family, as well as many of the rules contained within it. The book started out as a bit of a game, but over time, it had become a serious matter.

"Unless it is a question of life or death, no brother is in any way required to listen to what Percy has to say?" Charlie asked thoughtfully.

"What? No, that's not the third, it's the fifth," Bill said as he poured himself a large glass of pumpkin juice.

"It's strictly forbidden not to laugh at Fred and George's jokes, even if you are in the presence of Molly and are at risk of being punished?" He continued to ask.

"You know I've always thought that was a stupid rule since it's practically impossible not to laugh at their jokes," Bill commented. Charlie shrugged indifferently.

"So what's the third one?" He asked.

"A brother is always obliged to help another brother with a girl, whatever situation requires it unless such a request is made by Ginny."

"Ah yes, I remember now," Charlie said smiling. "Wait a minute, since when do you need any help with girls?" He asked in surprise. His brother, Bill, was famous for his reputation as a womaniser. There was no girl in the whole school, who didn't turn to look at him as he went past, much to Charlie's disappointment. And to think that Bill was nothing more than a Prefect. He didn't even play Quidditch like he did.

"Since Louise Morel agreed to go out with me as long as she could also bring her friend," Bill replied.

"Louise Morel? How the hell did you manage to convince her to go out with you? You're only in the fifth year!" Charlie asked in admiration. Louise Morel, a sixth year Hufflepuff, was breathtakingly beautiful, probably the prettiest girl in the whole school and from what Charlie knew; she never went out with someone younger than her. "Wait, what friend are you talking about?"

"Well, do you remember Jamie? Her classmate, not to mention childhood friend?"

"The one that looks like an old toad with glasses?"

"That one! Well, apparently she has a little crush on you." Charlie, intent on eating his milk with cereals, coughed, and spat a bit out on the table. "So I said to Louise, that if she were to come out with me, I would convince you to go out with her friend," Bill went on, as if nothing had happened, sipping his juice.

"No. Forget it!" He shouted suddenly.

"Too late. We have a double date this weekend in Hogsmeade."

"You're joking, right? There's no way I'm going to spend my first weekend in Hogsmeade with that girl."

"Come on you can't do this to me! You do realise that this is Louise we're talking about?" Bill said, pleadingly. "And do you know what they say about French women?"

"No, and I don't care."

"That they're very loose!" He exclaimed.

"There's no use, I have no interest in helping you," Charlie said, still adamant.

"Perhaps I should remind you of that time when I caught you stealing the golden snitch, and I said nothing, despite being a Prefect?"

"I wasn't going to keep it," said Charlie using justification. "I just wanted to train a bit more ahead of the game. That's all!"

"Yeah sure, as if you needed it. You just wanted to steal it because you knew that the Slytherin team were training that day," Bill said with a raised eyebrow. Charlie grinned.

"Ah yes, now I remember."

"And what about that time when..."

"Fine, I'll come," Charlie said, interrupting his brother, resigned. Bill smiled triumphantly.

"We're meeting on Saturday at 10 o'clock in front of the main entrance," Bill said, standing up. "I have to run. I've got potions at the first hour, and I don't want to be late. I owe you a favour little brother." Bill took a Scone and went off. Charlie raised his head to take a look at the Hufflepuff table. Tonks was there and, noticing him, gave him a little wave. That day her hair was bright purple. Charlie would have liked to wave back, but just then, Jamie glanced toward him. Shivering, the boy returned to observing his bowl, still full of cereals. The fact that Luise and Jamie knew each other from childhood probably was the only reason why those two were still friends, he thought.

"Are you mad at me or something? You didn't even acknowledge me," Tonks said, suddenly appearing behind him.

"No, it's not about you," he replied, looking up at her. "It's all the fault of the stupid third rule of the code."

"Which code? What are you talking about?" The girl asked, puzzled.

"It's a long story."

"You can tell it to me as we head over to the greenhouses," she said, inviting him to get up. "Come on; Herbology awaits us."

That Saturday morning came much quicker than Charlie expected and to think that he had spent months fantasising about what he would do that day. He would never have expected that he'd have to spend it like this. Not to mention, that this was the first time he was going on a real date with a girl. There had been another girl the year before, the seeker of the Ravenclaw team, who he was supposed to have gone out with. But she was so humiliated when Charlie stole the Snitch from right under her nose during the Ravenclaw vs. Gryffindor game, that it blew everything.

"Wish me luck," Charlie said to Tonks. How much he would have liked to spend the day with Tonks and his other Gryffindor friends.

"Good luck. You're going to need it." He really did need it; he thought to himself as he headed for the front entrance.

"There's my brother," Bill said when he saw him.

"Hi, sorry for being late. So where are we going?" Charlie asked, looking at the other three. His brother, Bill and the two girls were dressed much more elegantly that him who was wearing a pair of crumpled jeans and a simple grey jumper.

"We thought we'd go to the Three Broomsticks for some Butterbeer. Are you in?" Bill asked.

"Do I have a choice?" The brother asked sarcastically.

"No, but you'll see, you'll like Butterbeer," the other replied, smiling. The whole way to the village, Bill had his arm around Louise's shoulders, prompting more than a few envious glances from people passing by.

"You know, I read that some species of dragon love to show off their prey before eating it. Isn't that more or less what Bill is doing now?" Jamie asked. Charlie, who until that moment, hadn't paid much attention to his companion, turned to look at her.

"You like dragons?" Charlie asked in surprise. The girl nodded.

"Oh yes, I love them. My father worked for years in the Romanian dragon reserve."

"Your father worked in that reserve?" He asked again, suddenly excited.

"Yes. When I was eight years old I managed to see a Hungarian Horntail," she said proudly.

"That's my favourite one!" Exclaimed Charlie.

"Mine too," the girl replied, smiling. "My mother was so furious when she found out. Less than a month after my little encounter with the Horntail we were back in England."

"I can imagine. My mother would have probably reacted the same way," Charlie said, then glanced at the other two in front of them, just in time to see Bill, whispering mischievously into Louise's ear, making her smile.

"Look, how about before going to the Three Broomsticks, we take a look at the post office? I realise that seeing owls isn't the same as seeing dragons, but they say that there are some unique specimens inside," Charlie asked.

"Okay. I've already been, but I'll happily go again." Charlie smiled in satisfaction. Perhaps this outing to Hogsmeade would be better than he thought...

* * *

"Uncle Charlie?" Victoire called him back to reality.

"All in all, your father is right, it isn't a much interesting story. But I'm sure that your first outing to Hogsmeade will be fantastic," Charlie said. "So, do you already have in mind who the lucky guy will be to take you there?" He then asked, purposely to irritate his brother. The girl's face lit up at the question, enhancing the beauty passed down to her by her mother.

"Yes, of course, I thought I would ask Ted..."

"Vicky is still too young to be thinking about guys," Bill said sharply, ending the discussion. Fleur winced at the answer, glancing questioningly at her husband.

"Fleur, shouldn't you go and see what the other two nuisances are up to?" He asked his wife, giving her a light kiss on the lips. Just then, he heard a thud coming from upstairs.

"Yes, I probably should," she said, getting up and heading for the stairs.

"What happened to the code? Does George still has it?" Charlie asked once his niece had left, breaking the silence that had been created.

"Of course, and he guards it jealously. What about Jamie? Does she still work there with you in the reserve?"

"Yes and she's a good friend, as well as an excellent colleague." His brother smiled to hear it. "Getting older, she's also less of a toad than before. She has been married to a local Muggle for a few years, but she doesn't want to talk about having children either."

"See, I knew she was the perfect girl for you." Charlie glared at him.

"Don't you want to settle down?"

"I am settled. I have my dragons, my owl, my little independent house, and I've mentioned Adina, haven't I?"

"Oh yeah, I forgot. It's just that since you stopped being that clumsy kid that you were, you've been out with so many girls, it's easy for me to forget some of them. So why don't you tell me something more about this Adina? What does she do in Romania?"

"She was born there. Her father is English; her mother is Romanian. She's one of the healers at the small hospital just outside the reserve that the Romanian Minister of Magic wanted to build for security. We've been going out for almost three months."

"Almost three months? Now that's a new record! When will the wedding be announced at the Burrow?" The spoon that Charlie threw brushed Bill's ear. The two brothers scowled at each other for a second before bursting into laughter. "Seriously, I'm glad you finally have someone. And thanks for not telling that story."

"Of course, even though you have to admit it would have been funny."

"Better to not take the chance. Can you imagine Fleur's face if she knew what I thought of the French?"

"Are you telling me that Fleur isn't..."

"Hey! I'll remind you that that is my wife you're talking about," Bill protested, realising what his brother was going to ask him. "And still, it's none of your business." They both jumped at the sight of Fleur's arrival.

"What are you talking about vous deux?" She asked, noting their expressions.

"Nothing important!" Bill said, relieved that she hadn't heard a word. "Just boy stuff," he added, before getting up and kissing his wife passionately. Charlie smiled at the two of them, without saying anything. Yes, it had been very sensible not to tell that story. And it was nice to know that he could bring it out at any time, to blackmail his brother.


End file.
